Adjustable guide connector for bowden cable

ABSTRACT

An adjustable connector for connection to the guide conduit of a Bowden cable is described. The adjustable connector comprises a tube and a liner mounted within the tube. The liner extends beyond one end of the tube to form a thickened portion having an opening into which the cable guide conduit is inserted and bonded to the liner. Means are described for preventing axial and rotational movement of the tube relative to the liner. In use, the core of the Bowden cable passes through the tube and liner assembly.

United States Patent Andrews [451 July 25,1972

[54] ADJUSTABLE GUIDE CONNECTOR- FOR BOWDEN CABLE [72] Inventor: DavidAndrews, Welling, England [73] Assignee: Ford Motor Company, Dearborn,Mich.

[22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 77,154

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 6, 1970 Great Britain..5,896/70 U.S. Cl... ..l38/l03, 74/501 P, 138/147 Field of Search..74/501, 501 P; 85/32 V; 137/223; 138/103, 109, 147, 177, 178; 285/174[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,443,452 5/1969 Shontz..74/501 P ux I 747 I 1/ aesevsvsswssllfilafi.(t.we

I'IIIVI'IIIII 2,126,770 8/1938 Hammond ..l37/223 X 3,345,899 10/1967Fiddler ..85/32 V 3,393,578 7/1968 Tschanz..... ....74/501 P 3,468,1879/1969 Payerle ..74/501 X Primary Examiner-Edward J. Earls Attorney.lohnR. Faulkner and Robert W. Brown [57] ABSTRACT 1 Claim, 2 Drawing FiguresPatented July 25, 1972 3,678,964

AWMM

ATTORNEYS ADJUSTABLE GUIDE CONNECTOR FOR BOWDEN CABLE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION The present invention relates in general to Bowden cables and,more particularly, to an adjustable guide connector for a Bowden cable.

A Bowden cable is used for transmitting motion occurring at one locationto a remote location. These cables include a flexible guide conduit anda flexible core movably mounted within the guide conduit. The guideconduit permits the cable within to withstand both compressive andtensile forces. The cables are made flexible so that motion occurring atone location may be transmitted along a curvilinear path to a remotelocation. Where motion is to be maintained along such a curvilinearpath, it is necessary to fix the location of points on the guide conduitat opposite ends of the curvilinear path to substantially maintainconstant the length of the curvilinear path. Usually, the fixed pointson the guide conduit are the opposite ends thereof. With the length ofthe guide conduit path thus maintained, motion at one end of the movablecore located within the guide conduit produces a substantially identicalmotion at the opposite end of the movable core.

In the use of Bowden cables, it occasionally becomes necessary to adjustthe length of the curvilinear path of the guide conduit. The presentinvention concerns an adjustable connector for attachment to the end ofthe guide conduit of a Bowden cable to fix the location thereof when thecable is in use and which may be readily adjusted to change theeffective length of the guide conduit between the fixed points atopposite ends of the guide conduit curvilinear path.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, anadjustable guide connector for a Bowden cable comprises a tube having aninternal diameter greater than the internal diameter of the cable guideconduit and a linear mounted within the tube. The tubepreferably is madefrom metal and the liner from a resinous material. The liner extendsbeyond one end of the tube to form a thickened portion which has anopening therein adapted to receive the end of the cable guide conduit.The cable guide conduit, when located within this opening in thethickened portion of the liner, is bonded thereto. Preferably, this isaccomplished by molding the liner around the end of the cable guideconduit, thereby, simultaneously to form the opening in the liner and tobond it to the guide conduit. This bond may be mechanical or chemical innature. The tube and liner may be provided with means to preventrelative rotational and axial movement between the tube and the liner.

The invention may be better understood by reference to the descriptionof the preferred embodiment which follows and to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a cross-sectional view of anadjustable guide connector constructed in accordance with the inventionand bonded to a Bowden-cable guide conduit; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line lIll of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to the drawings,the preferred embodiment of the adjustable guide connector is showngenerally at I0. The adjustable guide connector is shown attached to theguide conduit 12 of a Bowden cable, which, in use, would contain aninner flexible core (not shown).

The adjustable guide connector comprises a tube 14 and a liner 16.Preferably, the tube 14 is made of metal and is externally threaded at18 to provide means for adjusting the axial position of the adjustableguide connector l0 and guide conduit 12 attached thereto, relative to afixed mounting location.

As is most clearly shown in FIG. 1, tube 14 has an internal diameterwhichis greater than the internal diameter of the guide conduit 12 usedin conjunction with the connector.

Liner 16 is mounted within tube 14. Preferably, liner 16 is made from amoldable plastic material, such as polyacetal resin. It has an internaldiameter substantially corresponding to the internal diameter of theguide conduit 12 of the Bowden cable. Thus, the cable core may bemovably positioned within the liner 16, which provides a low frictionsurface against which the core of the Bowden cable can slide.

The liner 16 extends beyond one end of the tube 14 to form a thickenedportion 20 having an opening 22 therein adapted to receive the guideconduit 12 of the Bowden cable.

When located within the opening 22 in the thickened portion 20 of theliner 16, the guide conduit 12 is bonded thereto by any suitable means.Preferably, this bonding is accomplished by molding liner 16 around theguide conduit 12 and, at the same time, within tube 14. The bond may bemechanical, chemical, or both, depending upon the materials andprocesses used in forming the assembly of the adjustable guide connectorwith the guide conduit 12. Also, the thickened portion 20 of liner 16may cover a portion of the exterior of tube 14, as is shown at 24.

Liner 16 extends beyond the other end of tube 14 to form anotherthickened portion 26. This thickened portion 26 abuts this end of tube14, as does the thickened portion 20 at the opposite end of tube 14. Theabutting relationship of these thickened portions limits the axialmovement of tube 14 relative to liner 16. Rotational movement of tube 14relative to liner 16' is prevented by means of a slot 28 in tube I4,which may be filled with the material of liner 16, as is most clearlyshown in FIG. 2.

Based upon the foregoing description of the invention, what is claimedand desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable guide connector for a flexible cable for transmittingmotion occurring at one location to a remote location, the cableincluding a flexible guide conduit adapted to receive within it aflexible and movable core, said adjustable guide connector comprising:

a tube having an internal diameter greater than the internal diameter ofthe cable guide conduit to be used in conjunction with said connector,said tube being externally threaded and having at least one slot locatedat one of its ends; and

a liner mounted within said tube, said liner having an internal diametercorresponding to the internal diameter of the flexible guide conduitwhereby the core may be movably positioned within said liner, said linerextending beyond said one end of said tube to form a first thickenedportion abutting said one end of said tube and covering a portion of theexterior of said tube, said first thickened portion having an openingtherein adapted to receive the cable guide conduit, said slot at saidone end of said tube being filled with the material of said linerthereby to prevent rotational movement of said tube with respect to saidliner, and said liner having a second thickened portion extending beyondthe other end of said tube and in abutting relationship with said otherend of said tube thereby to prevent axial movement of said tube withrespect to said liner;

such guide connector in use permitting the effective length of the cableguide conduit to be adjusted through the axial movement of said tubewith respect to a fixed mounting location.

1. An adjustable guide connector for a flexible cable for transmittingmotion occurring at one location to a remote location, the cableincluding a flexible guide conduit adapted to receive within it aflexible and movable core, said adjustable guide connector comprising: atube having an internal diameter greater than the internal diameter ofthe cable guide conduit to be used in conjunction with said connector,said tube being externally threaded and having at least one slot locatedat one of its ends; and a liner mounted within said tube, said linerhaving an internal diameter corresponding to the internal diameter ofthe flexible guide conduit whereby the core may be movably positionedwithin said liner, said liner extending beyond said one end of said tubeto form a first thickened portion abutting said one end of said tube andcovering a portion of the exterior of said tube, said first thickenedportion having an opening therein adapted to receive the cable guideconduit, said slot at said one end of said tube being filled with thematerial of said liner thereby to prevent rotational movement of saidtube with respect to said liner, and said liner having a secondthickened porTion extending beyond the other end of said tube and inabutting relationship with said other end of said tube thereby toprevent axial movement of said tube with respect to said liner; suchguide connector in use permitting the effective length of the cableguide conduit to be adjusted through the axial movement of said tubewith respect to a fixed mounting location.